PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?
Hits and misses No major theme this month, folks. Just a random selection of wines that I picked up and sampled. Giesen Marlborough Pinot Gris 2018 - $15 Very consistent pinot gris from Nelson-based Giesen label. Smells a bit like clover honey and citrus blossom with a whiff of hay. Tastes like Roses Lime Juice, crisp apple and quince with a dry finish. Eat pan fried snapper with olive oil, capers and parsley. Millton Te Arai Chenin Blanc Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2017 - $29.99 From organic Millton label, has spent time in old oak. Nose of blond tobacco, lantana and a hint of fennel. Crisp, clean and very dry on the palate with clover honey, tangy yeast and a nudge of fresh-cut pineapple. Great match for seafood - gurnard pan fried in olive oil. Cleanskin South Africa Chardonnay 2018 - $7 Okay. This is a bargain bin chardonnay from Pt Chevalier Countdown. I bought it on a whim when shopping for groceries. It’s actually really good value. Smells like stone fruit with a hint of oak. Palate of peach, pineapple and a bit of nectarine. Clean, crisp and dry finish. Good with calamari salad. Nom nom. Selaks Taste Collection Buttery Chardonnay Hawke’s Bay 2018 - $21.99 Smells like grapefruit with a whiff of vanilla and lanoline. A tad disappointing for the fan of truly big and buttery chardonnays, but
still delivers a good medium style without too much acid. Flavours of grapefruit, peach and a bit of dried apricot. Dry finish. Match with creamy chicken pasta, or cheese-based dishes. Cupcake Chardonnay Monterey County USA Chardonnay 2015 - $22.99 A big, oaky Californian-style chardonnay for those who are a bit over the current New Zealand fad for the acidic mineral style. Still very fruity in the mid palate with lots of peach and nectarine. Vanilla oaky sweetness and a medium-dry finish. A great match with scallops. Fat Bastard California Chardonnay 2015 - $20 Pretty well lives up to its label. Big American oak! Lots of vanillin American oak extraction - no doubt from a while sitting in brand new barrels. But to be honest, it’s a bit out of balance. The oak way overpowers any fruit flavours but it does have some peachy fruit and crème brûlée toffee/toast characters. It would match a big creamy pasta dish with loads of cheese. The Big Top Lodi California Zinfandel 2016 - $19.99 I suspect that this is mass produced. Just the same - it has easy drinking appeal to those with a sweet palate who like ripe Aussie shiraz. Black cherry, cassis and a hint of smoke. Soft tannins and little or no oak influence. A medium-priced barbecue quaffer. (PHIL PARKER) F PN
Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine & Food Tours in Auckland. See: www.finewinetours.co.nz. Phil’s new cellar door book ‘NZ Wine Regions - A Visitor’s Guide’ is now available on Amazon Kindle.
FINE WINE & FOOD TOURS “No. 4 Auckland Food & Drink” – TripAdvisor Your host, Phil Parker wine writer. Boutique tours for small and large groups.
E: Phil@finewinetours.co.nz
68 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2019
www.finewinetours.co.nz
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)